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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29211603">One More Dance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/withinmelove/pseuds/withinmelove'>withinmelove</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Labyrinth (1986)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adult Sarah Williams (Labyrinth), Chocolate Box Exchange, Chocolate Box Exchange 2021, F/M, Flirting, Gen, Jareth Being Jareth (Labyrinth), Long Live Feedback Comment Project, No Sex, Reunions, Snark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:22:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29211603</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/withinmelove/pseuds/withinmelove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sarah returns every All Hallows' Eve to visit with her friends. She wonders if Jareth will ever drop  by to see her?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hoggle &amp; Sarah Williams, Jareth/Sarah Williams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Chocolate Box - Round 6, Discord Community Archive</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One More Dance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/astolat/gifts">astolat</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is for my recipient astolat for the Chocolate box Exchange! I hope I did your prompt justice and that you like your fic :)<br/>This pairing for some reason fought me pretty hard in regards to inspiration. I love reading Labyrinth fanfics but wow writing them is a whole different ball game!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every All Hallows’ Eve, Sarah returns to the Underground. </p><p>It’s Hoggle who tells her about the various thresholds she can use to come back to the Underground. </p><p>“Now, don’t go thinking just because you know where a doorway is that it’s going to open for you!” Hoggle warns as he holds her hand within his smaller, warmer one. This is her first year returning to the Underground, and for this first crossing over, Hoggle is here to guide her.</p><p>A frown furrows Sarah’s brow. </p><p>“Why not? Isn’t that what a doorway is for? Walking through it? Or is it warded with magic so humans can’t walk in?” she questions, carefully keeping the hem of her costume from dragging on the ground. Despite the tired cliche of girls wanting to be princesses, Sarah still loves to dress up in a beautiful costume gown for Halloween. It’s the one time of year it’s acceptable for her to wear such an outfit. </p><p>This earns her a snort and an eye roll from Hoggle. He leads her down a hidden pathway lined with smooth stones on either side. They are in the park where Sarah likes to practice her lines for a rehearsal or when she’s roleplaying on her own. She is shocked that she hasn't come across this out-of-the-way path after all the years she’s spent coming to this park. Then again, this just further reveals how well the Underground can hide itself in plain sight, a trick she should well remember from her time spent there.</p><p>“Nothing like that. Most of the time doors don’t like to move is all. You know <i>how many</i> things would come and go if the doors opened all the time?” Hoggle gives a disgusted scoff. Sarah grins, amused at this logic that never fails to both puzzle and amuse her. </p><p>“So why are you sure they’re going to open for us tonight? And how can you move back and forth, but I can’t?” Sarah demands. What confounds her are the arbitrary rules the Underground and its denizens live their life by.</p><p>Hoggle gives her a smug smile. </p><p>“Because I got good connections with all the doors to and from the Labyrinth. Even inside of it! How else do you think I knew how to get you out of that oubliette? But don’t you worry nothing about that. All Hallows’ Eve is your best time to cross over. The doors stay open for that,” Hoggle explains. Sarah nods, barely noticing when they step from the human realm to the Underground. She’s thinking about how to figure out a way of coming to see her friends when she wants to, not at the whim of magical doors. </p><p>The sight of the Labyrinth with its red dust forces her to pay attention to the present, bringing her bittersweet joy. Truth be told, when her time Underground was up, she was sorry to leave this magical land behind. She wanted to return home when she defeated Jareth and his honeyed words. However, the victory held sourness in it from the fact she would likely never see this wondrous place again. </p><p>And yet, against all odds, here she is now returning. Admittedly, she’s nervous, hoping not to run into Jareth on this night. No doubt he wouldn’t be pleased to see her, not after how she rejected his offer to stay with him. Later, she’ll wonder if it was only a lucky break that the entire night of All Hallows’ Eve she doesn’t see Jareth once. The party at Hoggle’s home with their friends goes off without a hitch. </p><p>--</p><p>Hoggle escorting her to the Underground each Hallows’ Eve becomes a happy tradition for both Sarah and her friends--relief that each year Jareth does not seek her out. She doesn’t know what she would say to him. A small, traitorous part of her wonders if Jareth even remembers her as the years pass. </p><p>She is twenty-six years old when Jareth crosses her path once again. If there’s one thing Sarah can say about him that has not changed, it is his alluring presence. Even after all these years, Jareth draws her in. Those mismatched eyes, his proud stance, that careless confidence. Despite the time elapsed, Sarah still finds Jareth as charismatic as she had at fourteen. </p><p>“Have you forgotten me, Sarah? Or is there another reason for your staring?” Jareth asks, a half-smile of amusement on his lips. Sarah rolls her eyes. It seems Jareth’s snark hasn’t changed over the years, either. </p><p>“I remember you, Jareth. How could I forget?” </p><p>This gets a sly grin from Jareth. A blush warms her face. Great, now it likely seems she’s been <i>pining</i> over him. Just what his ego wants to hear. </p><p>“Anyway, why did you decide to come see me?” she inquires. It is All Hallows’ Eve once again. However, this time Jareth surprised her group by appearing out of the blue. At least he had the decency to bring food and drink along with him. </p><p>No surprise that it overjoys Sir Didymus that his liege attends their small gathering. Meanwhile, Hoggle sinks into himself. Ludo happily preoccupies himself, digging through the baskets of food that Jareth has set aside. The thought crosses Sarah’s mind about what Jareth’s reaction had been towards her friends after she left. </p><p>Jareth raises his eyebrows. “Am I not allowed to call upon you within my own realm?” </p><p>She doesn’t reply to this, as he is in the right; this is his land to roam around as he pleases. Instead, she only shrugs. No doubt she’d be a fool to think he could have possibly missed her after all this time, what with their last showdown. </p><p>“Pleasantries aside, Sarah, I’m here to ask if: it pleases you I would take you to another ball,” Jareth states, searching her face. “No tricks this time,” he promises. </p><p>The offer has her speechless for a few moments. She honestly didn’t think Jareth would want to see her again, let alone invite her to another ball, and yet here he is in front of her. Truth be told, she likes the thought of dancing with him again, this go around on equal footing. Sarah isn’t a child anymore and, what’s more, she’s returned to the Labyrinth of her own free will. </p><p>“Why?” The question jumps from her lips. No doubt that’s a rude way of asking, but his motives puzzle her. What does he stand to gain from this? From her? Why, after their last parting, would he seek her out again? For that matter, why is she herself even considering the idea of going? She has her life Aboveground--a stable career and a lovely group of friends. The last thing Sarah needs back in her life is a sly Goblin King who she spurned as a young teenager. </p><p>Jareth’s signature cocky grin fades from his lips.</p><p>“I’ve missed your company, spirited as it was, and I have a weakness for clever, lovely women who dare to tell me no,” he answers simply. Really, Sarah shouldn’t let herself be flattered by a fae known for his silvered tongue, worse, his temperamental behavior. Still...it doesn’t hurt to go one time.</p><p>“I’ll go to the ball with you. Just, no peaches this time. I also choose when I leave,” Sarah answers. Jareth chuckles with a nod.</p><p>“So be it, my stubborn Cinderella. Leave at midnight. Leave a token of gratitude behind if I please you. A glass slipper, or a hair ornament, perhaps even a parting kiss.” Jareth’s eyes are sparkling with mischief. Sarah scoffs even as a blush overtakes her again. Make no mistake, she’s no shy virgin--she’s had a few boyfriends over the years… till...the thought of kissing Jareth has arousal burning warm and low in her stomach. </p><p>--</p><p>This is how she returns once again to Jareth’s castle for the ball he is hosting. For this evening, she is wearing a gown that the goblins have made for her and which she has paid for, adamantly refusing to allow Jareth to use his magic to craft her another one. She has said yes to attending another ball with him. However, she’s unwilling to let him dress her up again.</p><p>The gown the goblin seamstresses and tailors help her design is breathtaking. It’s the ball gown style she prefers, with full, flowing skirts. The color is a pale blue with twinkling shimmers picked out all over the skirts and gossamer sleeves. </p><p>Jareth awaits her at the top of the stairs leading to his castle. He is gorgeous with his golden hair lit up from behind by the vast amounts of torches leading down the entrance hall. He wears an outfit paired with the owl-feather cloak he’d worn during their last time together. He greets her with a gentle smile, offering a gloved hand to her as she approaches him. </p><p>“How lovely you look, Sarah. A dream come to life,” Jareth compliments. A laugh slips from her as she lets herself be led inside. It is a pleasantly startling thing to discover this softer side to Jareth.</p><p>“You’re so charming tonight--are you planning something?” she asks. Perhaps she should not be so at ease with him, but it is hard to resist his enchanting behavior tonight. </p><p>Now, a pleased smirk appears on his lips. <i>There</i> is the cunning Goblin King she knows. </p><p>“Only to woo you, my dear. I don’t plan to let you go until the chime of midnight. I’ve been too long without your company.” </p><p>Excitement buzzes through her at the challenge. </p><p>“Do your best, Goblin King.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject">LLF Comment Project</a><br/>This fic is part of "Long Live Feedback" project! I invite and appreciate feedback, including:</p><ul>
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